ѕιℓєиcє
by Goldenwing and Spiderwebs
Summary: I am a white cat with blue eyes. * My litter mates are too, but I /had/ to have an unlucky trait. * As beautiful I may be, I am obviously deaf.
1. Chapter 1

I was happy in my silent world.

* * *

In the first few moments of my life, my world was small, but everything in it was big. My world was only the camp and the nursery, and everyone was larger than me... and my litter mates. My two sisters and I always played together, letting out little vibrations of delight. My mother and father had watched us fondly, assuming that we would grow to be great warriors. Later on, my parents started to seem worried about me. But I didn't care. They still loved me. They gave me words of encouragement- but I thought it was a game and had always let out a purr to make the same vibrations in my throat.

One day, when I was about half a moon old, the brown and white medicine cat (who I had nicknamed Brown-white) had walked over to me and stopped at a careful distance. My snowy-white mother was close by. Brown-white moved his mouth. I saw it was a game that my parents- and occasionally siblings- played. I made a purr, hoping that we were playing the same game! But then I saw that he heaved his body as if he was sighing. What did I do wrong? Did I lose the game? I whined.

After that, Brown-white flicked his tail, as if signalling me to come over to his side. Excited, I had bounced over, wondering if I had a second chance.

I don't think I did, now that I think about it.

My mother and Brown-white exchanged mouth-signals. After a moment, my mother laid her ears back and hung her head in what seemed like sorrow. One of my sisters, a pure white and slightly fluffy kitten I named Whitey, nuzzled Mother's leg in an effort to comfort her. My other sister, identical to Whitey and me (her fur's a tad shorter, though), White, bore her kitten-blue gaze into the ground.

What have I done wrong? Was that game that important?

I had leaned against Mother, and let out a series of mews. _Mother, Mother?_

Brown-white simply looked uncomfortable. _I know you know, _he might have meowed.

* * *

After that scene, my kin and Clan started to act slightly different around me. Some cats would be mouthing together slightly, and one looked disdainfully at me. Some played with me and my litter mates more, and others would just have no contact with me- like any other day. Brown-white would shake his head sadly, and my mother seemed to be more protective around me and my sisters. My father, a black and white tom, would play vibration games with me. At least that's what I thought they were. My sisters would act curious around me, moving their mouths and tilting their heads. _How do they come up with these games? _I had thought, and inclined my head, too. I wondered if I looked as funny as they did.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm not sure if this'll be a two-shot or a three-shot or a less-than-ten-shot; just review telling me what I should do. :) Thank you Howlsong13 and ExplosionsAreFun for those sweet reviews! ^.^**

* * *

**~*~*~Now~*~*~**

I watch as Whitey climbs up the great Fallentree at the center of the camp, which was straight across the nursery. I sit with my mother and White beside it, the pale morning rays resting on our thoroughly-cleaned pelts. A large cream she-cat, and leader I saw yesterday, was waiting for Whitey at the top of the fallen trunk. Her posture was high as she mouths to the crowds, and beckons a tortoiseshell she-cat to walk beside them. Proudly, the tortoiseshell and Whitey touches noses, and I watch in interest. What is this even supposed to do? Then, and whole crowd starts to move their mouths in what seemed like Frostpaw. Frostpaw. What a silly name. _Whitey is much better,_ I think, watching the two cats leap off the tree.

Next, White heaves herself up the Fallentree, and the leaders mouths and lures a gray tabby tom onto the stage. The gray tabby and White touches noses like the previous pair, and once again, the crowd starts to mouth again, this time Cloudpaw. Whaatt? Can't we have some more original names?

Finally, my mother nudges me toward the Fallentree. I let out a squeak, and grab onto the soft, somewhat rotting bark. I rise myself off the ground, scrambling onto the thick trunk of the Fallentree. I stand beside the cream she-cat, my ears starting to swerve back slightly, shy of the crowd below. I never knew the Clan had this many cats!

Leader must have stopped mouthing, (It was somewhat longer than the other speeches) because beside me was Brown-white. I blink my large blue eyes in confusion. Aren't I supposed to be paired up with a stranger? Brown-white leans his head toward mine, and I touch noses with him, like what my sisters did you their big cats. After we retreat, the cats below starts to chant again. Was that _Icepaw, Icepaw, Icepaw? _Most of the cats looked happy. An unexpected glimmer of hope flared in my chest, spreading out to my limbs.

Okay, so I am Icepaw.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! They make me smile. :) Look at me smiling! :) :) I may not always reply to your reviews, but I read every single one of them. Eveerryy.**

* * *

Brown-white leads me toward the den known as the medicine cat den. It is formed of large fallen rocks, placed carefully by who-knows-who to make a cave. I glance back at my shoulder. Where are White- I mean, Frostpaw and Cloudpaw going? Why are they going out into the forest with stranger Clan mates?

I felt uncomfortable and alone. Since the other cats weren't here, Brown-white doesn't seem to mouth with me.

Then an idea struck me like lightning.

Did Brown-white give up mouthing with me because I didn't mouth as much as anycat else? Does he think it's useless trying to communicate with me? Mother taught me how to mouth (but I don't get half of what she's trying to tell me). Is that why I didn't get to go outside? I droop my tail.

We both pad into the medicine cat den- it is shadier than outside under the morning sun. The sharp scent of herbs meet my scent glands in a breeze. I have been here often- I liked this soothing but dizzying scent. However, today, I feel moody, so I refuse to be happy.

Brown-white flicks one of his brown ears, his tail pointing at a small bed of moss next to a larger one. I figured that the bigger one was Brown-white's, and the smaller one... was mine. I someone like the thought of staying here in with this nice aroma, but it seems too different from the sweet milky one in the nursery. And most importantly, Brown-white's presence is much more different than my family's.

My family. There needed to be one, big, fluffy nest for Mother, Frosty, Cloud and I to sleep in!

Before I could communicate with Brown-white, he nudges me toward a huge array of herbs. The smell was much stronger here, and I feel the dark cloud rise over me, replaced by light rays of sunshine. Fascinated, I squeal and study the different roots, seeds, berries, flowers, and leaves tucked neatly into crevices in the rock or stacked on the ground. How come I never noticed this before? I nosed the various types of medicine. When I got bored of this, I turn around to see Brown-white sitting patiently beside our fresh nests, as if waiting for me. Wondering what he was waiting for, I walk a few paces and sit down beside my own nest, facing him. My ears burn like fire as I see Brown-white's throat vibrate slightly in a purr of amusement... and promise. Ears are useless- all they do is just bring up the fact that you're embarrassed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for your information, Jigglypuff! :D**

**Sorry for not updating- I won't update on weekends because my dad will take his laptop with him to work.**

* * *

We technically did nothing else for the rest of the day. I sniffed herbs, wandered around the den, and slept. Disappointed that my sisters weren't here to play with, the morning's thoughts ran through my head.

The pale light of greenleaf evening is blocked by two figures, interrupting my thought. I stand in my nest-it isn't as fluffy as the nursery's- and flick my ears in delight. Cloudpaw brought a friend to play with! He was much larger, but who cares? He seems to be very familiar- maybe he was the one who played with us a few days ago. But as I examine them closely, Cloudpaw has one foot off the ground.

Brown-white dashes off to the herb store after scanning the paw quickly. He returns in front of Cloudpaw and the larger tabby tom. Oh hey, I do know him! He was the tabby from this morning, the one who touched noses with Cloudpaw.

Brown-white signals me to come over, his jaws filled with a few golden flowers. I sit next to the three cats hesitantly, and my sister stretches out her paw for me to see without any mouth movements. What, did she give up on me too? But my curiosity gets the best of me and I look at her paw without complaint.

I wrinkle my nose as I smelled a whiff of a sharp, tangy liquid. I've never seen that before! Her paw pad has a small tear on the pink flesh, with a small prick of bright red on the top. An alien object was lodged in it. A thorn?

I watch as he places the golden flowers at my paws an puts his teeth around the foreign solid. He pulls it out, and Cloudpaw jerks backward, her white fur fluffed up and her mouth open. I could feel the air vibrating around her! Her face was screwed up in pain, and she cleans her paw swiftly after a moment.

Meanwhile, Brown-white takes a flower head and chew it up. I reciol and swerve my ears back in disgust. Ugh, he eats flowers? Then I see him apply the mashed poultice into Cloudpaw's paw. I look down at the blossoms between my feet. Is this really my destiny? Am I like this because of something I don't have? I can so obviously see, feel, eat, make sounds, and mouth! I think for a while. Wait, does that mean something might be wrong with Brown-white, too?


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you everyone for your reviews! :)

* * *

I have learned one healing herb.

I call it Goldenflower.

I decided that you chew (and not eat) the flowers and lick the juice on a torn paw. I never tried it, but was curious to try it out. I want to do something to make a cat feel better! Cloudpaw seemed fine the next day.

It is a few sunrises later, and I was so used to the herbal scent that I could not smell it any longer. Only two cats, Cloudpaw and that gray tabby, had come to the medicine cat den, and I was quite lonely. Brown-white was boring and didn't socialize with me much, and mother doesn't visit me. My sisters don't visit (except that one time) either. Are they just busy? They must be- what so important I I have to miss out on? I still share tongues wth Frostpaw and Cloudpaw, but they have a new friend about their age. They don't pay attention to me as much as they do to the others. They're still friendly, but they don't seem to play as much.

There is a fine evening blue sky outside, and there is always an occasional breeze that briefly sweeps away the hot, damp air. Brown-white was at his herb store, and he was picking at the various things. He usually would just sit there and sort them out, even when they're already organized. Then he would leave to sleep.

This time, he padded over to me with two leaf bundles. He dropped them at my paws, and unfolds the leaves, revealing an equal amount of pretty flowers and leaves in each. I nod, looking expectantly at the larger brown and white tom from my nest. _Okay, so these are plants. Do I chew them?_

Brown-white nods his head in return and lowers his head... and swipes the plants from his packet with his tongue. And he chews. Then he swallows.

I shake my head vigorously, refusing to eat the flowers. Yep, he eats flowers, all right. I watch him carefully as he picks up the leaf. Oh no, is he going to eat that, too? He gives me a glance with narrowed green eyes and leaves the den. So, he's going to eat that leaf in secret?

I stare down at the herbs at my paws, and lower my head to give these things a sniff. There were white ones with larger yellow centers, a golden flower that did not look like Goldenflowers, and some small oval leaves. Well, these are what herbs are for, right? But just when I was about to lick up the golden one, Brown-white comes into the den. I recoil from the flowers, pretending I wasn't about to eat them. I didn't want him to be satisfied that I listened to him.

Brown-white had a shrew in his mouth, with the leaf nowhere to be found on him. Yeah, he ate it. Or he put it in the dirtplace. I like the first choice better.

He lays down the small creature next to my leaf wrap, and I gobble it down, assuming that he already ate (excluding the plants). I still refuse to eat the herbs. I don't want to eat them, even though they might be the source of Brown-white's healing knowledge. I see Brown-white sigh, and he folds up the leaf. He places the bundle in a small crevice. I suddenly feel guilt burning in my ears, and put my head on my dainty paws. I feel full, and anyway, a small pack of flowers is a measly amount compared to a plump greenleaf shrew.

I feel Brown-white's gaze wash over me again in disapproval, huddle down in my shallow nest and making me regret some things.

I didn't regret of what I thought of the flowers compared to the shrew.


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh no! I'm sorry I didn't update! D: I think I'll update less and less 'cause school's coming up soon... O.O But I won't forget you guyses! You'll get a question or two answered in the next chapter! ;D**

* * *

***~****Brown-white****~***

I sit on a flat rock outside the medicine den, gazing at the pale evening sky with narrow green eyes. I swipe my tail around my white paws, pondering while listeing to the steady chirping of crickets. I sigh and focus my eyes on the fading half moon that hung serenely in the sky. _Will StarClan enter Icepaw's dream?_

* * *

A large paw shakes me awake. I groan and roll over, flicking the paw with mine. Go bother someone else! I open my eyes when the impatient foot shakes me harder. I growl softly and see Brown-white standing before me. He goes outside the den, bekoningfor me to follow. I stretch, and a yawn escapes my open jaws.

I follow Brown-white near the camp entrance under the evening sky. It was a while after he ate the flowers, and since then, I've been sleeping.

I look around the camp as I walked, and two cats mouth or flick their tails in a greeting. Funny. They didn't seem to greet the other cats. Why did they only say hi to me?

When I reach Brown-white, I lash my tail in sliht irritation. Cats were now beginning to come to the camp and rest, while I have to go out to the dark forest. But I admit, I've never been to the forest, so I suppose it could be fun.

Before I could step ot into the outside, Brown-white flicks his brown tail in front of my face. I bat it off me, and look up at him with even more annoyance. What was that or?

He mouths something to be instead, ignoring my annoyance. The mouthing is funny. He starts out issing, opens his mouth wide, curls his tongue, opens his mouth again, and it just stops.

The thing leaves me to confusion. How does he memorize this stuff? He mouths again and again, It takes me a while to understand that he was repeating what he mouthed earlier.

I hiss too, and copy his mouth movements. Then, I think I felt something escape my mouth, like what happens when I yowl, meow, growl, purr, hiss, or squeal, but at the same time, it's different.

* * *

***~****Brown-white****~***

I let out a purr of satisfaction, the pride almost seeming to burst my heart. Perhaps she doesn;t understand what she mewed, but she meowed her first word! I mew the word again, and Icepaw repeats it back to be.

"StarClan!"


End file.
